By A Correspondent| Police have finally arrested Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of the late former President Robert Mugabe, following a violent assault at a Mazowe mining site that left a security guard critically injured and several others severely beaten.
Chatunga, who was seen wearing a black hoodie, appeared at the Concession Magistrates Court on Monday, where he faces charges stemming from a brazen attack on workers at the Ultimate Mining concession — a site that borders his mother Grace Mugabe’s estate.
The incident occurred last Wednesday around 4PM, when Chatunga allegedly led a group of heavily armed men — some brandishing AK-47 rifles — onto the mine grounds. He accused mine staff of allowing illegal gold panners to cross over from the Mugabe family property.
“We were told our crime was allowing illegal gold panners to trespass on their land,” said one of the victims, speaking anonymously for fear of retaliation.
Witnesses say tensions escalated after some suspected illegal miners fled into the Ultimate Mining area. Moments later, Chatunga and his team stormed the mine, reportedly enraged that the mine’s security had failed to prevent the repeated breaches.
“Our security guard was suddenly attacked by Chatunga himself, who shouted, ‘wasiirei vanhu vachipinda mumunda wapresident chaivo?!’” recounted a mine official, quoting Chatunga as saying, “Why did you allow people to enter the real president’s land?”
The security guard, identified as Elvis Bvumbwe, is currently battling for his life after suffering multiple fractures. At least three other workers — including a supervisor and staffers named Chipara and Muchemwa — were also seriously injured in the assault. Medical scans and reports show broken ribs, skull and facial fractures, and other trauma.
According to the victims, they were frogmarched nearly 200 metres into the Mugabe estate, where they were doused with water and repeatedly beaten with logs and metal rods. Amid the chaos, witnesses also reported an accidental discharge of a firearm.
When police eventually intervened, Chatunga allegedly attempted to intimidate officers, boasting that President Emmerson Mnangagwa would fire them if they dared arrest him.
“He told the officers that Mnangagwa would deal with them for laying a hand on him,” a law enforcement source at the scene told ZimLive.